Smoking, drinking, drugs, gaming. There’s no gray area here: A direct and proven correlation exists between the onset of smoking and drinking and media exposure. Marketers consciously advertise directly or by embedding products in entertainment to foster brand awareness with young kids so that when they grow up, they’ll gravitate to the branded products. It’s not accidental that animated characters often sell products. (Remember Joe Camel?) Scenes of drinking, smoking, and drug use in kids’ media both model and normalize these behaviors, increasing the odds that kids will try them for themselves. But addiction risks also extend beyond substance use: Some kids, especially boys 11 to 19, can get hooked on their computers, as well as multiplayer Internet games that are purposely designed to be highly addictive.
Why you should care.
Because alcohol advertising affects underage drinking behavior. Because kids are using drugs at younger and younger ages. Because kids, especially teens, are bombarded with thousands of images of smoking in movies alone. And because computer and Internet gaming addictions can harm kids’ social interaction abilities. Staying immersed in electronic fantasies can cause them to miss meals and sleep and negatively impact homework and school attendance.
Some facts you should know:
- Half of all kids who start smoking do so because they saw it in movies.
- 1 in 3 kids will ultimately die from a smoking-related disease.
- Movie smoking is even more effective than cigarette ads with teens.
- The earlier kids start drinking and drugging, the higher the incidence of alcoholism.
- 47 percent of kids under 14 who start drinking become alcoholics within 10 years.
- Research shows that 9 to 11 can identify the Budweiser frogs better than Tony the Tiger, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, or Smokey the Bear.
- The more alcohol ads kids see, the more they drink.
- Researchers have determined that playing video games triggers and doubles the amount of dopamine in the brain, roughly equivalent to a dose of speed.
- Middle school students who play video games during the week do worse in school.
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